Security was stepped up last night in the Shankill Road area of Belfast as fears mounted of further reprisals in the loyalist feud which has already claimed three victims.
With no sign of either faction responding to calls for mediation by politicians and local church leaders, security sources in Belfast warned that there was likely to be more tit-for-tat violence.
Details also emerged last night of weapons recovered by the RUC in two separate seizures in the past few days, which the RUC has linked to both the UVF and its rival, the UDA.
The latest victim of the UDAUVF feud was named yesterday as Mr Samuel Rockett (22), who had connections with the UVF. Security sources are viewing his killing as a UFF reprisal for the UVF double murder last Monday of two loyalists, Mr Bobby Mahood and Mr Jackie Coulter.
Mr Rockett was shot several times at close range on Wednesday night in front of his 18-month-old daughter and his girlfriend, Cheryl.
As a result of the two finds and of Mr Rockett's murder, security has been further increased amid growing tension. British soldiers, who returned to the streets of Belfast last Monday for the first time in two years, last night began foot patrols in loyalist estates in addition to manning static positions at road junctions.
Security sources said Mr Rockett came from a well-known UVF family and was viewed as an easy target. It is understood he had been told by local UDA members that he would be safe.
"It's going to get worse before it gets better," said one source, who added that the UVF had relocated 47 families in the past week. "The UVF is describing UDA boys as `scum', an adjective they usually only use for the IRA," said another.
Mr Billy Hutchinson, of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP), the political wing of the UVF, said mediation would have to come. Mr David Ervine, of the PUP, is currently on holiday in Australia.
The Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, said the killing of Mr Rockett took the loyalist feud to a new low. Mr John White, the chairman of the Ulster Democratic Party, the political wing of the UDA/UFF, admitted the murder appeared to have been carried out by the UFF as part of the ongoing feud. He appealed for dialogue, but said his pleas were unfortunately "falling on deaf ears".
The first victim of the UDAUVF feud to be buried yesterday was Mr Mahood, shot last Monday along with Mr Coulter as they sat in a car on the Crumlin Road. Mr Mahood had UVF connections but was sympathetic to anti-Agreement unionists, while Mr Coulter had connections with the UDA and was an associate of the Shankill UDA commander, Johnny Adair.
About 600 people attended Mr Mahood's funeral, which had no paramilitary trappings at the request of his family. Mr Rockett's brother, Mr Anthony Rockett, was remanded in custody yesterday after he was charged with possessing a revolver loaded with six bullets and a further 26 rounds of ammunition last Monday with intent to endanger life.